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Reform Long Overdue In Pakistan, Painful As It May Be

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By AUTAR KAW

Published: November 8, 2007

Regarding "Pakistan: An Uncertain Ally" (Nation/World, Nov.):

Sam Rashid needs to be glad that he has been able to go to his native Pakistan every year up until a couple of years ago. I have not been able to go home to my native Kashmir since 1989. My wish to visit home may be nostalgic, but the rest of my family who lived in Kashmir for centuries were forced from their own land and had to live like refugees in their own country. Such has been the situation for two decades in Kashmir, where Kashmiri Muslim militants trained by Taliban and al-Qaeda forces in Pakistan forced their Hindu neighbors to either leave or be killed. My father was shot by his Muslim friends on Aug. 24, 1990.

Ever since Sept. 11, 2001, and even before people struggled with maligning the pronunciation of al-Qaida, I have voiced my frustration with the United States considering Pakistan as an ally. You cannot have allies that do not share your core values, such as democracy, freedom of religion and women's rights.

However, I agree that the United States is in a corner. Do nothing, and the democratic powers on Jan. 8 may make it an Islamic state like Iran. Intervene and you get the people of Pakistan to hate us even more for interfering in their affairs and hence further strengthen public support for the radicals. Either way, with an estimated 30 nuclear weapons and al-Qaida's strong foothold, the mushroom cloud is closer to a reality.

Pakistan's neighbor, India has to be on the edge. If India takes any preventive action to protect its own rights, I hope that the United States will not intervene. If the United States has the right to fight the war on terrorism in far flung areas of Iraq and Afghanistan, India has every right to defend its own backyard. India has turned the other cheek so many times that even Mahatma Gandhi would be disappointed.

The war on terrorism cannot be fought without eradicating the training grounds and Madarasas of Pakistan and stopping the continuing funding of terrorism by Saudi Arabia. No matter how you look at it or spin it, we have accepted this as business as usual.

It was heartening to see liberal and moderate Pakistanis protesting inthe streets. It is time for Pakistanis to fight for their freedom. With an unemployment rate that is low at 6.5 percent, it is clear they have mechanisms in place to follow India's lead in achieving economic reform.

I know firsthand that neither nation's people shirk from hard work. Whenever they have seen fair and competitive rewards, they have had the same aspirations as the rest of us - making a good living and preparing a better life for the children.

Autar Kaw is a Tampa resident.

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